PPP: Obama has small lead in North Carolina

By Emily Schultheis

08/07/12 12:20 PM EDT

The latest numbers from Public Policy Polling show President Obama with a slight lead in North Carolina:

PPP's newest North Carolina poll continues to find an extremely close race for President in the state, with Barack Obama at 49% to 46% for Mitt Romney. PPP started monthly polling of this contest in November of 2010 and Obama and Romney have now been within 3 points of each 21 of the last 22 months.

North Carolina voters aren't thrilled with the job Obama's doing — 48% approve and 49% disapprove. But they continue to have pretty tepid feelings toward Romney with only 42% of voters rating him favorably to 50% who have a negative opinion of him.

North Carolina, a state Obama won narrowly in 2008, has long been viewed as much tougher territory for him this time around, even in spite of the Democrats' decision to hold their convention in Charlotte. And it's true that this poll's sample includes more Democrats than Republicans, which may affect the final numbers. But Obama's lead here is within the margin of error, and as the pollsters note, the state has been an incredibly close race for the almost two years PPP has polled there — meaning it's too early for either side to consider the state a sure thing.